Richard Roeper facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Richard Roeper
Roeper in 2011
Born	Richard E. Roeper (1959-10-17) October 17, 1959 (age 65) Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Occupation	Columnist
Alma mater	Illinois State University
Subject	Film criticism

Richard E. Roeper (born October 17, 1959) is an American writer and film critic. He was a columnist and film critic for the Chicago Sun-Times for 39 years, from 1986 until 2025.

From 2000 to 2008, he co-hosted the TV show At the Movies with Roger Ebert. He took over after Gene Siskel passed away. Roeper also hosted radio shows and appeared on many TV programs. Since 2021, he has hosted a podcast called The Richard Roeper Show. In 2025, Roeper became a regular writer for RogerEbert.com.

Early Life and Education

Richard Roeper was born in Chicago, Illinois. He was one of four children. He grew up in a town called Dolton, Illinois.

He went to Thornridge High School. Later, he graduated from Illinois State University in 1982. He earned a bachelor's degree in journalism. While in college, he tried out for a movie review show called Sneak Previews. This was after Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert left the show. He did not get the part at that time.

Career as a Writer and Host

Roeper started working as a columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times in 1986. He wrote about many different topics. These included current events, media, and entertainment. The Associated Press has named him the best columnist in Illinois many times.

He has also written seven books. These books cover subjects like movies, urban legends, and conspiracy theories. One of his books was about gambling.

Roeper has been a radio host in Chicago on several stations. He was also the film critic for CBS in Chicago for three years in the early 2000s. His columns have been shared by The New York Times with newspapers around the world. He has written for many magazines, including Esquire and TV Guide.

Roeper has been a guest on popular TV shows like The Tonight Show and Live with Regis and Kelly. He also hosted Starz Inside, a monthly documentary series on the Starz network. In 2008, he was a guest judge on an episode of Top Chef. On the show, contestants made movie-themed dishes for him.

In February 2009, Roeper launched his own website. It features movie reviews, blog posts, and photos. He later added video reviews to his site. From 2010 to 2014, he co-hosted The Roe & Roeper Show on Chicago radio station WLS 890. In October 2015, Roeper joined the TV show Good Day Chicago on Fox Chicago. He left that show in October 2017. From 2018 to 2021, he wrote for Windy City Live. Since 2021, he has been a writer for Windy City Weekend on WLS-TV.

In 2018, Roeper was briefly suspended from the Sun-Times. This was due to an investigation into whether he had bought fake followers on Twitter. The paper later brought him back. He was required to use a new Twitter account and not buy followers.

Film Critic Role

Richard Roeper at the 2006 Toronto International Film Festival

After Gene Siskel of Siskel & Ebert passed away in 1999, Roger Ebert had many guest critics on the show. Richard Roeper appeared ten times. He was then asked to become the permanent co-host with Ebert. The show was renamed Ebert & Roeper and the Movies in 2000. It was shortened to Ebert & Roeper in 2001.

Starting in August 2006, while Roger Ebert was recovering from surgery, Roeper was joined by guest critics. These included director Kevin Smith and TV host Jay Leno. On July 20, 2008, Roeper announced he was leaving the show. He planned to start a new show, but those plans did not happen.

Between 2009 and 2010, Roeper provided video reviews for Starz. In December 2010, he moved to ReelzChannel. There, he had a daily segment called Richard Roeper's Reviews. He stayed with ReelzChannel until early 2015. In early 2013, Roeper began writing film reviews for RogerEbert.com.

On September 12, 2013, it was announced that Roeper would become the main movie critic for the Chicago Sun-Times. This was after Roger Ebert's passing in April 2013. In August 2014, Roeper became the lead film critic for the Chicago Sun-Times. His first review in this role was for Guardians of the Galaxy. He is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association.

Since 2021, he has hosted a podcast called The Richard Roeper Show. It airs every Tuesday and Thursday. On March 19, 2025, Roeper announced he was leaving the Sun-Times. This ended his 39-year career at the newspaper. He continues to review movies on his podcast and for Windy City Weekend. His last review for the Sun-Times was for Snow White. In 2025, Roeper also became a regular writer for RogerEbert.com.

Favorite Films

Richard Roeper has shared some of his favorite movies. These include The Maltese Falcon, The Godfather trilogy, and Ferris Bueller's Day Off. He especially loves Ferris Bueller's Day Off. He said it's a movie you can watch again and again. He also believes it's about a young man helping his friend find self-worth. Roeper even has a license plate that says "SVFRRIS" as a tribute to the film.

In a 2000 interview, he mentioned Woody Allen as a filmmaking hero. His favorite films from the 1990s include Goodfellas, Pulp Fiction, Heat, Good Will Hunting, and Notting Hill. In November 2004, on Ebert & Roeper, Roeper said his favorite Thanksgiving movie is Planes, Trains and Automobiles.

Top Films of the Year

Since 2000, Roeper has made a list of his favorite films each year.

Filmography

Awards and Recognition

In 1992, Richard Roeper received the National Headliner Award. This award recognized him as the top newspaper columnist in the country. He also won two Chicago / Midwest Emmy Awards for his news commentaries on Fox. In 2020, Roeper was given the Roger Ebert Award at the AAFCA Special Achievement Award Luncheon.

See also

In Spanish: Richard Roeper para niños